How to Make Cane Decorations for Polymer Clay Bowls

Cane decorations are layered logs of polymer clay with a design running through the middle. You can roll the canes into any shape you want for jewelry or other clay projects. When making canes for a polymer clay bowl, you can add the canes to a base mold, or make the bowl completely from cane slices.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Polymer clay in contrasting colors
• Knife

1. Pick contrasting colors for the cane. You want the decoration in the middle to stand out and neutral colors, or colors in the same color family, make the design and the cane color blend together.

2. Soften the clay in your hands by rolling it into a ball and working it until it's soft and pliable.

3. Roll the clay out with a small roller. Layer one color on top of the other and firmly roll the colors into a log. If using more than two colors, roll the third color out and wrap it around the log.

4. Continue rolling the layered color log until the log is approximately 18 inches and a uniform width. Cut the log into seven smaller logs, all around the same size.

5. Use one small log as the center of your cane and then put the other six pieces around the center. The cane resembles a flower when assembling it. Roll the cane gently to mesh all the pieces together, and seal the seams.

6. Slice through your polymer clay cane with the sharpest knife or blade you have. If your cane decoration appears fuzzy, you need a sharper blade. Now you have a completed cane decoration you can add to a bowl.